“You are no longer strangers and aliens but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household 0f God …” (Eph. 2-19) and “Jesus went out to the mountain to pray…” (Luke 6:12) It’s all about identity and belonging. Why did...
This parable should speak to us far more than we realize. It should be a source of great encouragement to us all as we seek to build up the Kingdom of God through apostolic works. The mustard seed is very small: it can seem very insignificant. Though...
Why would the leader of the synagogue be “indignant” that Jesus cured a woman on the sabbath? She was crippled for eighteen years! Was he not instead, supposed to rejoice and give thanks that Jesus cured...
Jesus’ teaching is a reminder of the challenges inherent in waiting for and in being prepared for an uncertain future while also being fully grounded in the present moment. How true it...
Jesus said to the disciples: “Be dressed for action” or "Gird your loins.” This phrase literally means “tighten your belt.” It traditionally refers to one who is wearing...
Jesus told His disciples: “Beware of the leaven—that is, the hypocrisy—of the Pharisees.” This comes after Jesus gives a long and very direct series of condemnations of these leaders in the previous...
In the Gospel readings for today, Jesus confronts the issue that some of His detractors were raising – by whose authority did He expel demons. People were questioning whether Jesus was acting with good will, with authority from God, or channeling other powerful demons. It strikes me that for many of us a...
Today is the memorial feast of “Our Lady of the Holy Rosary”. Indeed, this month of October, we are reminded to pray the Holy Rosary, the best known and most practiced Prayer of Catholic faithful in the world. Through...
In the first reading, Jonah is sent to warn Nineveh of impending punishment. The city repents from evil, thus God forgives and relents. In the Gospel, Martha complains to Jesus that Mary, her sister, is not helping. Jesus responds...
Today’s first reading begin with Jonah’s flight from his assignment from the Lord to go to Nineveh and preach. He knew the Lord if he preached there, the Ninevites might repent. If they repented, God would show mercy. He seemingly thought...
Have you ever sat in sackcloth and ashes? In today’s Gospel passage Jesus states that the pagan towns of Tyre and Sidon would have certainly sat in sackcloth and ashes if they would have been privileged...
In the first reading count the number of times it says, “all the people”. Not counting similar words like “the whole assembly”, “the men and women and the children”, etc., there are at least 10 times that the reading says, “all the...
The words of the prophet Zechariah reflect the time after the Babylonian exile. After many years in exile, the Jewish people faced a choice, to return or not. Some became prosperous and settled in Babylon. Others returned home, but home had...
Sending his twelve out on mission, Jesus wanted them to travel light. It is definitely not an experience I enjoy. I take extra batteries just in case … I take extra food because I may get hungry … I always have a reason. Why? The disciples were...
Exalting the Cross in joyful celebration would seem to be an unthinkable possibility for many people in the time of Jesus and even now. In his letter to the Corinthians St. Paul said: “We preach Christ crucified . . . a stumbling block...
What’s interesting is that these humble words, spoken by a Roman centurion, were not actually spoken by the centurion to Jesus. This is because the centurion did not believe he was even worthy of going to Jesus himself. Therefore...
Though many commentators will try to point to the deeper spiritual principles that Jesus was teaching, first try to take His words at face value. He really said that you must offer the other cheek to someone who strikes you, to give your tunic to one who steals your cloak, and to give to everyone...
In celebrating the birth of Mary, today’s Gospel highlights Mary’s role in the Incarnation and how her “yes” changed the world. Yes, Jesus is the perfect expression of God’s love but Mary’s role was to foreshadow that love, to bring it to the light of day. Besides Mary’s “yes”, we cannot forget Joseph. The end of the genealogy: “… and Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary of whom Jesus was born, who is...
It is Labour Day and I want to continue my reflection of yesterday’s homily but with a slightly different twist. I said something like this: Jesus took the deaf man away from the crowd to be with Him alone, showing that Jesus desires to know each of us individually, personally because he cares for you and me. And we are called to develop an intimate relationship...